"Is this place habitable?"

"Didn't you say the conditions here are good? How are the conditions good?"

Most people come with high expectations, but are disappointed when they see the environment. It's just an ordinary brick and earthen courtyard that looks old. In the middle of the courtyard is a kitchen with three stoves and several large tables.

On both sides are male and female dormitories separated by curtains. They are all large communal sleeping areas, with more than a dozen people living in each room.

There was an outhouse and a shower room in the yard, as well as a chicken coop and a pigsty. In the pigsty, two piglets were squealing with hunger.

The 11 people stood in the courtyard, not knowing what to do, when a man and a woman, two former educated youths, returned from outside.

They were the leaders of the educated youth settlement. The man was named Lin Haiping, who was 28 years old, and the woman was named Zhou Shuyi, who was 26 years old.

"Hello, we are the leaders of the educated youth settlement. The brigade leader asked us to come back to help you integrate into the environment as soon as possible."

The educated youth exchanged glances before responding to Lin Haiping's words.

"Although you have just arrived, it is spring plowing season now, and the fields are very busy and we urgently need manpower. The team leader will only give you one day to adapt, and you will have to start work tomorrow."

However, you'll definitely be given time to adjust on the first day; we won't assign you any particularly heavy tasks.

Lin Haiping was worried that they wouldn't be able to do the job tomorrow, so he quickly gave them a heads-up.

Nowadays, women are used like men in the fields, and men are used like livestock. This work is definitely not easy, and if you can't do it, the villagers will have complaints.

"Oh, so this means we're going to be sent to the fields?"

"We came here to develop the countryside, not to farm."

They started complaining again, which Lin Haiping was used to; everyone goes through this phase.

"There are cabinets in the kitchen and in your rooms. Everyone should put their own things away properly, and each person is responsible for their own food."

It's only April now, and the autumn harvest won't be until September or October. You need to distribute the grain properly.

We used to eat together from a communal pot, with each person contributing their own grain each month and then taking turns cooking. What do you think of your situation? Would you like to do the same?

It's still more convenient to eat from a large pot, as we can take turns cooking, and everyone nodded in agreement.

"Alright, at the beginning of each month you need to collect your respective share of firewood, and then everyone will cook according to the schedule."

The chickens and pigs in the yard were raised by us before, and they're only a little over ten days old. How about we split the cost of buying them, and then we can share the feeding expenses as well?

Lin Haiping, being a veteran of the educated youth movement, clearly explained the rules to them, hoping that these new educated youth would quickly integrate.

"Then you all go to your dorms and put your things away. You'll have to take care of your own meals today. You can start joining the kitchen tomorrow."

Zhou Shuyi led the female educated youth to put away their luggage. The previous educated youth had already set up their beds, leaving them with the seats at the end of the kang (a heated brick bed).

"Then you pack your bags, I'm going to the fields."

The remaining female educated youth stood in the dormitory with worried expressions. They still needed to heat the kang (a traditional heated brick bed), and the ventilation in the room was very poor. With so many people, it was inevitable that there would be some odor.

"How can anyone live in such a godforsaken place?" A girl's eyes were already brimming with tears. They were city people, and even if they were mentally prepared, they clearly hadn't expected this situation.

“My dad said the conditions here are good, that’s why he let me come.” Another girl started crying, and then several people started crying with her.

Bai Jiamei also cried. The female lead was to live in this awful place for two years, so what about her? Was she also going to live there for two years?

Lu Ronghui ignored them. She had been to even more difficult environments before and didn't find this place particularly challenging. She carried her luggage and went straight to the end of the kang (a heated brick bed) and put her bedding at the very back, so that she would only have to sit next to one person.

Bai Rongjun also disliked this place; it was filled with unpleasant smells, and she felt she definitely wouldn't be able to stay there for long.

She still had tears in her eyes, wondering if her mother would let her go back to the city, or if Aunt He would still be willing to help her. Seeing that Lu Ronghui had already chosen a spot, she wanted to go over and sit next to her, so that Bai Jiamei could sleep next to her, and both sides would be familiar faces.

When Lu Ronghui saw Bai Rongjun trying to step forward, she stretched out her leg to block her, and then pulled over Liu Ruo, who was still crying—the woman who had struck up a conversation on the train.

"You'll sleep here."

Liu Ruo was still in a daze when she saw Lu Ronghui had already placed her luggage next to her, and she nodded repeatedly with tears in her eyes.

Lu Ronghui let her sleep next to her because she didn't want to be near the Bai sisters. Since the two of them knew each other, and seeing that she was still crying, she took a rare moment of kindness and said a few words to her.

"This place is not like home; you shouldn't flaunt your wealth. It's best to pack away all your belongings."

"Oh? Okay, okay."

Liu Ruo had no clue what to do and immediately took Lu Ronghui as her protector, agreeing to whatever she said.

Bai Rongjun stood there looking at Lu Ronghui with a tearful expression, making it seem as if Lu Ronghui had done something to her.

"Get out of the way!" Although Bai Jiamei was still saddened by the plot, she didn't dwell on it for long.

She pushed past Bai Rongjun and quickly placed her bedding next to Liu Ruo. This girl looked delicate and should have good hygiene. The remaining person was Zhao Hui. Seeing that others had already chosen their spots, she quickly placed her things next to Bai Jiamei.

This meant that Bai Rongjun's spot was on the outermost edge, next to the previous educated youth.

"Rongjun, what's wrong?" Zhou Han was tidying up inside the house when he suddenly walked out into the yard and saw Bai Rongjun squatting in the yard crying.

“Rong Hui is unwilling to get close to me, and she also doesn’t allow others to get close to me.”

What? This Lu Ronghui is going too far! It's one thing for her to ostracize Rong Jun herself, but she's also dragging others into ostracizing her.

Rong Jun has lived in the Lu family for so many years and is considered her older sister. Even without that relationship, they all come from the same place and shouldn't take care of each other outside.

"Ignore her!"

"Oh dear, why is this girl crying?" Aunt Tian was leading Song Qing to the educated youth settlement when she saw a young girl crying in a young man's arms as soon as she entered the door.

Bai Rongjun quickly broke free from Zhou Han's embrace and wiped away her tears. Aunt Tian's eyes flickered slightly.

"Is this your boyfriend?" These young people nowadays are not like they were before. They're hugging and kissing in broad daylight in the yard. Aunt Tian was quite interested.

"Yes, we're engaged, and we'll get married in two years."

"I see. It's good that you can take care of each other."

Bai Rongjun wiped away her tears and saw that the person standing in front of her was Song Qing. She was full of doubt when Lu Ronghui had already walked into the courtyard.

"sister in law!"

"How is Rong Hui? Is she adjusting well?"

Lu Yang's comrades had already spoken to the commune's youth leader to arrange for Lu Ronghui to be assigned to Yanghe Village Brigade. Unexpectedly, Uncle Laogen immediately chose her.

Song Qing knew that the educated youth were coming today, so she came along with Aunt Tian to visit her.